TCU wants to show better offense in its part of Big 12/SEC Challenge

TCU heads into the Big 12/SEC Challenge eager to represent itself, and its conference, well in the made-for-TV event.

Problem is, TCU enters as the lowest-scoring team in the 10-team Big 12.

The Horned Frogs are 10th in the league with a 61.6 scoring average through eight games. That can be traced to their 37.7 shooting percentage, also 10th in the league.

Only once have the Frogs topped 69 points in a league game this year.

It is a big part of the reason they are 9-11 overall and in last place (1-7) in the league as they prepare to host Tennessee (10-10, 3-5), one of three teams tied for ninth in the SEC and led by former Texas coach Rick Barnes, on Saturday afternoon at Schollmaier Arena.

“The limits offensively are what I’ve said all year long — we don’t have any one guy you can count on going for 20, 15 points, that kind of thing,” TCU coach Trent Johnson said after Tuesday’s 71-54 loss at Texas. “The onus is on us as a group to shoot high percentages and have a bunch of guys around 8, 9, 10, 15 points.”

TCU has gotten just two 20-point performances this season. Malique Trent scored 24 against Abilene Christian on Dec. 20 in the Schollmaier Arena opener. Chauncey Collins had 20 on Jan. 4 against West Virginia, also at Schollmaier Arena. TCU scored 80 and 87 points in those games.

Johnson believes the Frogs have enough firepower to win. The most recent recruiting class added scorers like Trent and J.D. Miller, a 22-point-a-game scorer at Seagoville. But the Texas game, in which TCU shot 33.3 percent, is an example of what has happened too often this season.

“Because of our limits offensively and our skill level, we’ve got to as many times as possible, walk the thing up and get this thing in a halfcourt game,” he said. “The tempo of the game was how we need to play in games. But it puts a lot of pressure on your defense when you’re not making shots versus good teams. For us to be in games, to have a chance to compete with the good teams in this league, and Texas is one of them, we’ve got to make shots.”

Sophomore forward Vladimir Brodziansky leads TCU in shooting percentage. But he was 0 for 4 and scoreless Tuesday night in Austin. Brandon Parrish, the team’s top 3-point shooter, was 1 for 6 from that range.

“We’ve got to continue to work at it,” Johnson said. “Guys have got to keep getting themselves into position like they have been, where they’re open, shoot the ball with some confidence, not worry about it. The main thing is, we’ve got to take care of it and not turn it over.”

TCU is 2-0 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, having defeated Mississippi State two seasons ago and Ole Miss last season.

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 3:28 PM with the headline "TCU wants to show better offense in its part of Big 12/SEC Challenge."